Finding Peace
by Lorelei Candice Black
Summary: Jasper and Katherine knew each other when he was human. She loved him. She knows Bella too. Edward grows jealous of the newcomers and overprotective. Bella won't have it. Sequel up and complete.
1. Chapter 1

**_Finding peace_**

**_Jasper/Katherine_**

**_!Evil Alice with a dark plan!_**

_I've had this idea in my head for a while... I don't know if it's been done before or not but anyway... here is my version of it._

_Have a good time reading and don't forget to review later, please,_

_Love,_

_Lorelei Candice Black_

* * *

Once upon a time, all the Cullen's had been normal humans, living their life just like everybody else did until something happened and ripped it all away from them, forcing them to live an immortal's life. Jasper wasn't any different, even if he barely remembered any of it. He had blocked most of it during his years in Maria's army and tried his best not to think about it after that.

Actually, after leaving Peter and Charlotte, he had tried to reconnect with his lost memories but meeting Alice had interrupted this for him. She had claimed it was for the best if he didn't remember and he had trusted her, telling himself that if he had wanted to forget, he had a good reason and what was the point of remembering people that were probably long dead by now?

It was over now, he had Alice and the Cullen's, he couldn't waste any time wondering what had happened to the ones he had loved back then. How his human family lived and died didn't matter, he had a new one and Alice always assured him that not knowing was for the best and he didn't see what reason she could possibly have to lie about it.

* * *

That afternoon, Bella was over at their house and the Cullen's had decided to spend time with her, to get to know Edward's love before they all went to play Baseball, as Alice suggested (or insisted really, claiming it would be their only occasion before a very long time to play, knowing it would convince them).

"So Bella, are you finally going to tell us how you knew what we were and why you're okay with it? I mean, you're human and we're vampires... It had to be a shock to find out..." Carlisle asked her.

"Actually, you're not really vampires. You're Cold Ones. I know the difference because I know a real vampire, one that has fangs and burns in the sun without the right kind of jewelry to protect her." Bella replied.

"Real Vampire?" Emmett chuckled.

"I assure you. They can feed from a human without killing them, in order to change you they have to feed you their blood and kill you, then you have to feed from a human to complete the transition. Their blood has great healing properties as well. I'd know, I've had some a few times. It's quite handy for someone as clumsy as I am." Bella explained.

"I've heard of them but I always thought it was just rumors, legend... In all my travels, I've never encountered any." Carlisle said.

"Well, it's not. The vampire I know, she babysat me when I was a little girl. She befriended my mother, liking her carefree attitude, finding it refreshing in her eternity of loneliness and ended up babysitting me once a week or so. We became friends, she told me what she was and we stayed in touch ever since. After the accident, when Edward refused to tell me what he was, she's the one who told me. She should be here soon. She wants to make sure I'm safe and that you guys can really be trusted." Bella explained.

"So she's friendly then?" Edward asked, worried.

"Of course! Well... If you're her friend she is. I'd suggest not pissing her off though because her kind is stronger than yours and she could easily dispose of you. She can be... fierce against those she doesn't like. She's very protective of me. You don't want to know what she compelled to do the guy who pushed me on the ground when I was 6." Bella replied with an amused chuckle.

Edward turned his head toward Jasper suddenly and rose an eyebrow.

"What's going on?" Rosalie asked, always annoyed at being left out of the loop.

"He knows of the kind of vampire Bella spoke about." Edward exclaimed.

"Jasper?" Alice asked him.

She had been upset all day because of the visions she was getting. She had seen this Katherine coming to see Bella and being really Jasper's old love. She couldn't let them meet. She had worked hard on a plan to prevent this from happening but it mostly depended on luck.

"I encountered them shortly after I left Peter and Charlotte. He was one of the oldest ones of their race and I helped him with a problem he had. We stay in touch. He owes me one. We're friends." Jasper explained shortly, not liking being the center of attention.

"Well, we'll happily welcome your friend into our home Bella." Esmee smiled softly.

"About that... I wanted to ask you something Carlisle... If it's not too much trouble..." Bella started to say, blushing.

"What is it Bella?" The doctor asked.

"Katherine, my friend, usually drinks from blood bags when she visits me but she has to steal them... I was wondering if you could make sure they won't go missing when she does. I mean, she could just compel them to forget about it but I want to make sure since she won't be able to compel you..."

"I can do better than that, I can get her some and stock it all here. It's no problem. As a doctor, I can actually buy blood."

"Thank you." Bella nodded.

"Come on now, it's time to play baseball." Alice insisted as she got up and forced everyone to follow her before her tight schedule got off track.

When Bella had mentioned her friend's friend, Alice had noticed Jasper's face change slightly and she knew that he was remembering his past love. She had seen everything before they met Bella and she couldn't have them meet. She knew that as soon as Jasper met this Katherine, he would feel the love he had forgotten and leave her for his past love. She couldn't let him know that the Katherine Bella was speaking about was his Katherine. She couldn't lose him, his power was too great and she would need it in her slow quest of power.

She smiled. The incident she saw happening tonight would change everything. Edward would take Bella away, she'd stay behind with Jasper and while Katherine and Edward took care of James, she'd convince Jasper to leave for a while.

That was without counting on Bella's idea to wait until Katherine got here and on Jasper's decision to contact the vampire who owed him one and ask this Klaus to come and help. Now she had to think of something else, to find another way to get Jasper away before Katherine came. She had been so busy thinking of a solution to her problem that she had completely forgotten to think in another language and Edward had heard everything.

"What? You know she's Jasper's old love from his human life and you want to take that from him? She's been playing us all along, she just wants our powers! How did you hide this from me for so long? How could you deceive us like this?" Edward exclaimed, pointing at Alice.

"No!" Alice exclaimed trying to run away before Emmett caught her.

"Jasper knows Katherine?" Bella asked, surprised.

"He knew her when he was human, before he left for the war. He felt so bad about leaving her behind after he was changed that he tried not to think about it, to forget her." Edward explained.

"She's alive?" Jasper asked.

"Better, she's here. She's getting out of the car right now. Apparently, she likes the house." Edward replied.

"I'll go and greet her, prepare her for... this." Bella decided, turning around and rushing to the front door.

"No! Let me go!" Alice yelled as she kept on trashing, trying to break free.

* * *

"Katherine, you're right on time!" Bella exclaimed as she hugged her friend after opening the Cullen's front door.

"I always am. Well, I like the house. Apparently you feel comfortable enough to open the front door for them." Katherine smirked.

"I... I had to warn you about something before you met them..." Bella blushed just as a crash was heard downstairs.

"What's going on in here?" Katherine asked her, worried.

"You're never going to be able to guess it. One of Edward's brother... you know him, from when he was human and Alice, Edward's sister... turns out that she knew how important you were in his life and she hid it for some power plan or something." Bella tried to explain as she guided the vampire through the big house.

"I knew him? How? Who is he?" Katherine asked Bella just when they finally entered the room.

"Katherine? Is it really you? Is it possible?" Jasper asked, interrupting Bella's answer while Alice managed to kick Emmett off of her and to run outside of the house.

"Let her go for now, we'll deal with this later." Carlisle decided.

"Jasper? My Jasper? Are you really here? A Cold one? How?" Katherine asked him, tears coming in her eyes at the memory of the only time she had let her guard down for a man she could have seen herself settling down for.

When he had gone to war, Katherine hadn't been happy about it but she had understood his need to do it, to prove to himself that he was a man. After he was declared MIA, she had looked for him for over a year before finally giving up, thinking that he was dead and moving on with her life, no matter how hard it was. Now that she saw him, standing in front of her, she couldn't stop herself, she jumped in his arms and hugged him tightly, kissing him and getting kissed back in return. It was like they had just been separated by a few months of war and he was just coming back. It was the reunion she had been dreaming of for so long.

"I can't believe you're real... I... I'm sorry..." Jasper whispered in her ear.

Pushing away from him, Katherine smiled and suddenly, slapped him across the face:

"Don't you ever do that to me ever again. Do you have any idea the pain I've been through, thinking you were dead and not being able to find you? For months I looked for you everywhere. Through rain, desert, dirt... I searched for over a year for you, always expecting to find your name or your body somewhere." She exclaimed.

"I like her!" Emmett exclaimed, earning himself a playful glare from Rosalie.

"I won't. I'm sorry. I'm here now, and so are you... If you still feel the same way..." Jasper started.

"If? Of course I do. That kind of love isn't easily erased and trust me, I've tried." She replied.

"Then I guess you're welcome in the family." Carlisle exclaimed before Jasper introduced his family to the woman he had always loved and never quite forgotten.

"So, what else is going on? I've got a feeling that this Alice isn't the only problem I have to deal with..." Katherine asked Bella who in turn started to explain what had happened during the baseball game.

"If she really sees the future, she had to have knows this would happen. I'm liking her less and less now." Katherine replied after Bella told her everything.

Still in Jasper's arms, Katherine was also standing close to Bella, feeling protective of her old friend.

"When she left, she was thinking about teaming up with James and Victoria. She seems confident that James will agree to work with her for some reason." Edward added.

"Well, we're not defenseless. And I've called in a favor. We'll have help soon." Jasper assured.

"Right, your friend Klaus." Bella nodded.

"What?" Katherine paled.

"What is it?" jasper asked her, worried at the sudden panic he felt from her.

"You called Klaus here? I... I can't be here, Klaus will kill me on sight." Katherine exclaimed.

"Why would he do that? He's my friend and he's here to repay me a favor." Jasper tried to sooth her and it half worked because of his powers but she was still worried.

"It's a long story that started about 500 years ago as I was supposed to die in his curse breaking ritual..." Katherine started before she explained everything, including her 500 years on the run, trying not to get attached to anyone and failing, falling in love with him.

"Well, you stay here then, I'll go outside and greet him, he shouldn't be long now, he said he wasn't far. I'll try and talk him into forgetting his little feud. He owes me that." Jasper suggested.

"Yeah, good luck with that." She snorted.

.

While Jasper was waiting for his old friend Klaus to arrived, Alice had found James and Victoria and had already offered to team up with them, to help them get Bella. They were doubtful about her sudden side shift but she explained that because of Bella's recent decisions, her plans were ruined and she had to start them all over again, that she needed to pay for this and so they accepted her help.

Having someone who can see the future on their side could only be a good thing, even if her visions had limits and changed with every different decision that was made.

.

When Klaus arrived, he had been surprised to see his old friend waiting for him outside, thinking that it would have been safer to wait inside if there really was trouble coming their way but he quickly got his explanation. The vampire he wanted to see dead was the woman his old friend loved and had just found again.

"You're asking me to let her live and be free, aren't you, mate?" Klaus asked Jasper.

"I am." he nodded.

"Fine, I guess I can do that. I suppose that 500 years on the run is punishment enough for her betrayal and there's no reason for you to pay for her mistakes, especially after what you just found out. However I can't promise anything on my brother's side. Elijah has his own vendetta against Katerina. he took her betrayal the hardest." Klaus nodded.

"Who knew you were such a romantic at heart?" Jasper chuckled.

"Don't let it be known mate, it'd ruin my reputation and credibility as an all around bad guy." Klaus chuckled as Jasper lead him inside the house, introducing him to everyone.

Katherine was nervous, that was sure and she wasn't ashamed to hide behind the biggest Cullen until she was sure that Klaus would hold his end of the deal and not kill her.

"Katerina." Klaus greeted her as soon as he entered the room.

"Klaus." She nodded, still half hidden behind Emmett.

"You can come out, I won't kill you. Jasper's one of my rare friends after all. I can't promise that Elijah will stop looking for you but I think we both know that he'd never kill you... Torture a bit maybe, but not kill. You'll have no problem using his morals to guilt him into letting you run off into the sunset with Jasper if you ever meet him." Klaus told her and she nodded, relieved.

After that tensed moment was passed, Jasper introduced everyone.

"All of this over this girl? What's so special? Are you a witch or something?" Klaus asked Bella.

"What? No!" Bella exclaimed.

"Bella can't be compelled naturally but I don't think this has anything to do with it." Katherine explained.

"It's just a game to James. I saw it in his head. When I defended her, it started the best game of his life." Edward informed the hybrid.

"The last one as well." Klaus grinned.

"The other male, Laurent, won't join them. He just wants peace and grew tired of their games. I saw it in his mind. He left them shortly after James made the decision to come after Bella and us." Edward said.

"Bella, maybe you should call your father and find an excuse about you being late. You don't want him to worry and ground you." Katherine advised and Bella nodded.

"That would be a first I don't want to have." She nodded before she grabbed the cell phone Katherine handed her and told her father about staying a bit longer at the Cullen's to watch a movie with them because she didn't want to be rude and leave before it was over.

Charlie asked to speak with Carlisle and after the doctor promised to drive Bella home himself later, Charlie hung up.

"He's a trusting guy." Klaus noticed.

"He doesn't really have a reason not to be." Bella shrugged her shoulders.

"Bella's a good kid. I never had any problem babysitting her. She was born 35 and grows more middle aged every year." Katherine smiled fondly, making Bella blush.

"Well, maybe I'll un-dagger my sister and introduce you to her later." Klaus said before they all started talking strategy.

.

While Bella was inside the locked house with Esmee, Edward and Rosalie, Emmett, Carlisle, Katherine and Klaus were outside with Jasper, waiting for James, Victoria and Alice to come. They had had to change the code to the locking system in the house and they knew it wouldn't stop Alice, it would only delay her. With her power, she had probably seen them prepare and they had to be careful and make last minute decisions.

The attack was sudden.

James, Victoria and Alice had apparently decided on a frontal approach, maybe thinking that they could overpower them or something but that was without counting on Klaus and Katherine. Alice had had no idea just how strong they were and it took them by surprise.

Klaus was fighting James while Emmett and Jasper fought Victoria. Carlisle was trying to keep an eye on the situation, making sure that nobody was coming inside while Katherine and Alice fought each other rather fiercely. It was personal between them.

Katherine quickly had the upper hand of course but she dragged it out, wanting to make suffer the woman who had taken Jasper from her, the one who had prevented him from looking for her several decades ago.

"Two hot women fighting over you. Looks like your lucky day man." Emmett joked with his brother as he clapped him on the back after putting James and Victoria to pieces.

"She'll be fine mate. If Katerina Petrova is one thing, it's a survivor." Klaus reassured a worried Jasper.

"Yeah, I can feel that she's fine, she's just dragging it out to make Alice pay for keeping me away. It's almost over now." Jasper nodded, feeling better.

.

That night, when Bella went to bed, happy to know that she was safe, she was also relieved to know that not only did Katherine approve of her first ever boyfriend, but also that she had found her love as well and would be happy and able to settle down.

Klaus didn't seem like such a bad guy.

Bella wondered why people were so afraid of him. To her, he only seemed scared of losing the people he loved, that didn't make him evil in her eyes. He had even given his phone number to Bella, promising to introduce her to his sister soon, probably during the summer. Apparently Rebekah had always wanted a normal life and seeing the Cullen's ways inspired Klaus to try and let his baby sister go to high school in Forks.

He was obviously planing on coming along because he had promised Bella that he would see her again soon.

When she asked him why he didn't let her do it sooner, Klaus replied that he had just been afraid of her being alone, not finding real friends but that he had a feelings that she and Rebekah would get along well. Maybe even Rosalie would become her friend, who knew.

As she drifted to sleep, Bella forgot to ask Edward why he didn't like Klaus, why he glared at him so often when the man had saved her life but she forgot and went to sleep, dreaming of Katherine and Jasper in their human days, imagining herself meeting them around the same time, wondering why Klaus was there and not Edward...

* * *

**So, what did you think of this One-shot?**

**I know I left things open in the end and it was intentional... You know, just in case... Would you like this to turn into something bigger or to have a sequel exploring the Bella/Rebekah friendship and see if Bella and Klaus can find their way to each other or if she'd stay with Edward? I'm strongly thinking about writing more, concentrating on Klaus... I can be convinced by you to do it.**

**You know what to do.**

**Love,**

**Lorelei Candice Black**


	2. Chapter 2

**_Finding Peace_**

**_The Sequel_**

**_Part 1_**

_Klaus/ Bella_

_After Jasper and Katherine got together._

* * *

When Klaus undaggered his sister and Kol, calling Elijah back into town in the process, they were all shocked and wondering what was going on with him. Their brother still hadn't broken his curse and yet he was welcoming them back into his life. Mickeal was still at large somewhere and yet he was trusting them enough to free them.

So, maybe he hadn't freed Finnik but their serious brother had always been working along with their mother to destroy them, so it was probably for the best that he stayed in his coffin a while longer.

"Are you trying to tell us that not only have you let Katerina walk free but that you've forgiven her and that you're letting her be happy with someone?" Elijah asked his hybrid brother, shocked and half expecting someone to come out yelling "surprise" or "April's fool", even though it was mid-June.

"Yes, that's what I'm saying." Klaus nodded.

"But why?" Elijah asked him, not understanding the reason behind this sudden change.

"Why not?" Klaus replied as he shrugged his shoulders.

"Maybe because it doesn't sound like you to let someone who's wronged you go, especially after so long and especially that doppelganger wench." Rebekah insisted.

"Jasper is my friend, I wanted to do something nice for him in return for what he did for me." Klaus shrugged his shoulders.

"Still... Something or someone must have done or said something... Why are we even here, in this town?" Kol asked his brother suspiciously.

"Yes, I was wondering the same thing, brother. This town isn't even close to the kind of place you usually like to stay in. It's too small for your taste, nothing unusual going on..." Elijah nodded as they all turned to look at their hybrid brother.

"Well, there is this girl I find quite intriguing..." Klaus admitted.

"Ah, here it is. Who is she? Is she pretty?" Kol asked, interrupting Klaus.

"Her name is Isabella Swan but she likes to be called Bella. She's... a quiet beauty... But a beauty none the less. She's known Katerina since she was a child, they're friends. Katerina cares for her deeply and I can see why. She can't be compelled, she's wise beyond her years, very mature for a human who's only 17. Definitely an old soul." he explained passionately.

"But?" Rebekah asked him.

"But she has terrible tastes in men. She's dating a red haired Cold One named Edward Cullen. He's been stuck in his 17th year since 1918. He can read people's minds and doesn't seem to know what privacy is. He even sneaks in her bedroom at night when she's sleeping and finds it romantic when really, it's creepy. I don't like him. She could definitely do better." He replied, making them smirk.

"Like you?" Kol asked.

"Well, I wouldn't say no... He puts her in danger because he's too stupid. I wouldn't do that and I would be able to protect her." Klaus shrugged his shoulders, trying to act like he didn't care that much.

"It's why we're here... you want her." Elijah realized.

"Maybe... I'd love to get to know her better, that's for sure. And I think she could be a good friend to our sister. I promised her I'd arrange a meeting between them and she's excited about it." Klaus explained.

"Well, I can't wait to meet her and make up my own mind about your new obsession." The original sister nodded, agreeing to help her big brother.

.

Edward wasn't happy.

He had hoped for Jasper's Original hybrid friend to leave town and never look back after helping them get rid of James and Victoria but instead he bought a big house in town, renovated it super quickly and before the summer even started, had moved in with his family, or part of it at least.

To top it all, the house they had moved in was right next to Bella's and they had decided to tell Charlie the truth about vampires. Nobody listened to his worries, not even Bella and she spent more and more time with the Mickealson's.

Against his best advises, Bella had become best friend with this Rebekah and they spent way too much time together, according to him at least. Going for walks, shopping, movies, even reading... Seriously, who reads in group? It was a loner activity, Bella shouldn't be doing this with Rebekah. If she really wanted company while reading, then she should read with him.

Edward was convinced that the fact Bella decided he shouldn't hang out in her bedroom at night anymore was Klaus' doing, or Katherine's. Katherine didn't seem to like him much either but he didn't know why. Reading those vampire's minds was hard and he couldn't see as much and as clearly as he did others. That was another fact that bothered him a lot.

Somehow, Klaus had even managed to make some sort of peace with the wolves from La Push and he was now on better term with the people of their town than the Cullen's were. It wasn't right and Edward was sure that it was hiding something big and/or evil.

"I don't know why you're so worried about this, Edward. Klaus isn't that bad. If you were more open to it, you'd see that he's actually pretty nice." Bella told Edward that day as they argued about what they would be doing with their day.

Bella wanted to accept Klaus' invitation to the cook-out he was having. She had been invited with her father, so had the Black's, some of the wolves, Katherine and of course the Cullen's, even if they couldn't eat like everyone else. Klaus wanted to introduce his entire family to them, officially.

"You don't even know them that well." Edward argued.

"I don't need to know them more than I already do to accept their invitation and I knew you even less when I agreed to meet your family. I trust them, just like I trust you. I don't know what it is with you lately Edward but you're being a bit immature and too controlling for my taste. I can make my own decisions, have been doing it without anyone else helping me for a while now. You better start accepting it right now before things go badly." She snapped at him.

"Don't you see Bella? This behavior of yours comes from them. You're not like this. This isn't you." he tried to convince her.

"Apparently you don't know me that well then. You can do whatever you want. I'm going to their cook out with my father and my friends. You better not try to stop me because you know I won't be alone against you if you do." Bella replied before leaving the Cullen house and driving back home to change into one of the dresses she had bought with Rebekah the previous day.

She hadn't known Rebekah for long. Klaus introduced her on the same day they told her father everything, meaning 2 weeks ago. Yet, they had immediately connected and Bella was more comfortable with the original sister than she had ever been with Alice or even her own mother.

Rebekah and her had gone shopping in Seattle the previous day. Her father had always refused to let her go alone because he was worried for her safety but with a thousand years old un-kill-able vampire to protect her? He was out of arguments.

Bella had been reluctant to try on dresses at first but her new friend made it so much fun that she couldn't stop herself and she had even enjoyed it and bought a couple.

Of course she knew that Edward had followed them, even though she had asked him not to. This had annoyed her, especially when Rebekah warned her that Edward was watching them. Couldn't he trust her for even an afternoon? Were every boyfriend like this or was he an exception? This wasn't what she signed up for. She wanted someone who trusted her enough to leave her alone with her own friends, without spying on her every minute...

"You're ready Bells?" Her father yelled from down the stairs, bringing her out of her thoughts.

"Yes, I'm coming." She replied, quickly putting on a necklace that her grandmother had left her when she died.

Her father seemed to get along well with the originals. He watched sports on TV with Kol and talked about serious things with Elijah. Bella wondered if her father had gotten the opportunity to spend some time with Klaus yet and if he liked him but pushed those thoughts out of her head. She shouldn't think about Klaus, not like this and not this much. She was still with Edward and her boyfriend deserved to be given the chance to change his behavior before she ended things completely with him.

She had talked to Katherine about it, how ever since the _James incident_, Edward was suffocating her. Katherine thought that Bella was simply falling out of love with Edward, hinting that maybe she was falling in love with a certain someone who had come to the rescue and decided to move to town to be closer to her. It was obvious that Katherine wasn't talking about herself and it made Bella blush, another sign that it was probably true.

"So dad... You like them, right? The Mickealson's, I mean?" She asked her father who, just like her, couldn't be compelled.

"Yes, of course I do. Why?" He asked her.

"Oh... Nothing... Just a question." She blushed.

"It's never just a question with you." He rolled his eyes.

"Katherine hinted that she believed I was falling out of love with Edward..." Bella started.

"Thank God, I never liked him." Charlie let out.

"...and in love with Klaus." Bella finished.

"Oh... Well, I guess he could be better for you than Edward but he's still older than you... I mean... He's in his 20's... You're still my baby..." Charlie said.

"Your baby will be 18 in September, dad and Klaus is over a thousand years older than me." Bella reminded him with a chuckle.

"True. I guess you can make your own choices but if this was you asking for my opinion, well, I like Katherine and I think she has good instinct for these things... I never liked Edward much, there's something about him, beside the fact that he's a Cold whatever... I don't know... I don't trust him completely with you. Klaus on the other hand... I know he's old and I know he can be very dangerous but I also know how he is around you and how much he's trying to change since moving to town. Elijah and Kol actually talked to me about a lot of things and... I guess I wouldn't protest too much if you broke up with Edward to date Klaus..." Charlie told her.

"Well... I... Nobody is breaking up right now dad. Edward has been a bit... I don't know... suffocating? since Katherine arrived and I want to give him a chance to go back to the one I fell in love with before I break up with him." Bella replied honestly.

"I won't hold my breath for it." Charlie replied just as they arrived in front of the large Mickealson house.

"Wow, big house... Wouldn't want to clean it." Charlie said as he watched the house for the first time.

"It's not like you do any cleaning in your own house either dad. And they have endless money, they can hire maids." Bella chuckled.

"True." He smiled just as Klaus came to open the door for them and, after greeting them and kissing Bella's hand, making her blush, he showed them to the back yard where the Quileuts, Katherine and Jasper were already talking happily among each other.

"Bella, You're wearing one of the dresses we bought! I love it! I knew it would look great on you." Rebekah exclaimed as she rushed to hug Bella, bringing all attention on the blushing girl.

.

Bella and Charlie had been at the Mickealson's for about an hour and still no Cullen's were in view, except for Jasper but ever since he got back together with Katherine, people had stopped referring to him as a Cullen. He was back to being a Whitlock, his own person, with his own legacy. Katherine and him were a package deal now and they had bought a couple of days ago a small house , also in Bella's street. The other thing that marked that he wasn't a Cullen anymore was that Sam, the pack's Alpha, had allowed him to come to La Push whenever he wanted, as long as he had a wolf, Katherine or an Original vampire with him.

"Edward convinced them all to go hunting. He just wants to make it clear that he doesn't like Klaus and his family being in town. Carlisle would have come with Esmee but he has to work so Esmee tagged along with their hunting." Jasper explained.

Emmett had called him that morning, to keep in touch with him and give him some news because Jasper had been a little 'busy' with Katherine lately. Edward refused to spend time with Katherine and had forced his family to choose between spending time with him or with Katherine and Jasper. He held Katherine responsible for Bella's distancing herself from him.

"He's being an idiot and a spoiled brat, that's what he's being." Bella rolled her eyes.

"He is a bit possessive and controlling... I'm not sure I like the idea of you with him, Bella..." Katherine added.

"He's changed so much lately, I don't know why..." Bella sighted.

"Do you really think he's changed or are you simply seeing him with new eyes?" Jasper asked her wisely.

"What do you mean?" Bella asked as she watched her father from afar having fun with Kol.

"Edward has always been this way. From the beginning he went in your bedroom to watch you sleep at night. He's always been a bit controlling... Maybe you're just seeing it clearly now..." Jasper suggested.

"Maybe..." Bella nodded thoughtfully.

"Hey, Bella, don't let this bring you down, not today. Enjoy yourself, have fun. So what if Edward isn't here? Who cares? You don't need him to have fun. You're an independent woman!" Katherine told Bella.

"You're right. I'm a strong independent woman and I don't need him to have fun. If he wants to act like a child, then he can be a child on his own. I'm not going to let him spoil my afternoon with his childish tantrums!" Bella exclaimed before she went to get herself some potatoes salad.

.

The rest of the day went pretty well. The wolves and the vampires improvised a small game of football and everyone watched, having fun. There was vampires and wolfs on both teams and it was very funny to watch.

"Emmett is going to be sorry he missed that." Jasper said from his spot on the field.

"Don't worry Jasper, I'm filming it." Bella smiled after Rebekah, by her side, told her what Jasper had said.

Jasper winked at her and went back to playing.

"Your father is having fun umpiring this game with Billy Black." Rebekah smiled.

"That he is. It's probably a nice change from what he sees on TV." She nodded.

On the field, Katherine was on a team with Jasper, Elijah, Sam and a few other wolves. On the other team, there was Leah, Kol, Klaus, Jacob and a few other wolves.

"You didn't want to play with them?" Bella asked Rebekah.

"I was never one for sports... Never liked them." Rebekah replied.

"Me neither, but it might have to do with my clumsiness. I'd be capable of hurting several people and kill myself in the process if I even tried to play this." Bella chuckled.

"So, to speak about something else, you know that my brother fancies you, right?" Rebekah asked Bella in a whisper.

"What do you mean?" Bella asked her with a deep blush, glancing at the field.

"Don't worry, he can't hear us over the noise of the game if we're whispering."

"I... I don't know what to think... I'm still with Edward and I want to give him a second chance but... It's not easy with the way he's behaving right now. Yet I still love him. I'm still in love with Edward." Bella replied.

"What about Klaus?" Rebekah asked her, still whispering.

"I don't know... Dad has a point, he's a bit older than me... Without counting the vampire years of course. I can't deny that he's handsome and that he has been nothing but nice to me and my father since he arrived... But... I can't let myself think about this... not while I'm with Edward." Bella told her.

"I understand... But you know, Klaus has forever and he seems pretty serious about you, even if he hasn't said anything that clear, I know him enough to know that. He's not going anywhere. Keep that in mind. And no matter what happens between you and Klaus and Edward, I'm still here." Rebekah told Bella.

"Thank you Rebekah. You're a good friend. I'm sure if you tried to give Katherine a chance, the three of us could have a lot of fun."

"Maybe I will." Rebekah smiled.

.

When Bella finally got home, with Katherine's help to put her drunk father to bed, she was surprised to find Edward in her bedroom.

"So you went then?" He asked her as soon as she entered her bedroom, before she even saw him.

"Edward? What are you doing here? I thought I asked you not to come here without asking me first. Do I really have to ask Elijah to get his witch to put a spell on this house to stop you from coming in without my knowing it?" Bella sighted, too tired to argue and not wanting her father to wake up.

"I asked you a question Bella." Edward demanded.

"Oh, that's rich! You break into my room and I'm the one who has to answer to you? Who do you think you are exactly? It's _my_ house Edward and I don't have to answer to you. Go back to your house and get a reality check." Bella snapped at him, angry like she never was before and trying to contain her voice.

"I'm your boyfriend Bella!" Edward replied, as if it justified everything.

"Yes, my boyfriend, that's it and it doesn't give you the right to barge into my bedroom without invitation, to give me orders and to tell me what to do. Now leave before you make me even angrier than I already am." Bella replied, grabbing her pajamas and heading to the bathroom to get changed for the night without him getting a free show.

When she came back, Edward was gone and she closed her window, tying a small rope to the window and to her wrist. Edward wouldn't be able to come inside without waking her up. Tomorrow, she would ask Elijah to call his witch. It was clear to her that she couldn't trust Edward anymore.

With that last thought in mind, Bella fell asleep crying. She could have accepted Edward not coming to Klaus' cook out but his behaviour after that really hurt her. He had really been hurtful to her with his words. He didn't have to make it sound like she couldn't act on her own, like she was a child. She wanted to be his equal, not his inferior.

As she fell asleep, Bella really hoped that Edward would find it in him to change his behavior, that she wouldn't have to break her own heart and break up with him because of his behaviour.

* * *

**So, this is it for the first part of the sequel that will see Bella and Klaus make their way to each other. It will take only 3 parts.**

**I hope you liked it. Please REVIEW!**

**:-)**

**Lorelei Candice Black**


	3. Chapter 3

**_Finding peace_**

**_Sequel_**

**_Part 2_**

* * *

It had been a week since Bella had asked Edward to leave her bedroom before crying herself to sleep and she had made a point of being busy with her friends so that she didn't have time to think about him. She had called Elijah to ask him if one of the witches he knew could come and place a spell on her house so that Cold Ones couldn't come in without being invited in first and so they had to be invited every time.

She simply wanted to make sure that her wishes would be respected and if Edward decided to keep on acting like a child and didn't come around, then she'd be sad but she wouldn't regret standing up for herself. She deserved to be respected, didn't she?

She hadn't seen him yet. She sent Edward a message saying that if he wasn't ready to correct his behavior and show that he was sorry for not respecting her wishes, she didn't want to see him. It broke her heart to act like this but she knew she had to do it if she didn't want him to destroy who she was completely.

"How do I know I'm not ruining our relationship with this decision?" She asked Rebekah as they hung out at the Mickealson's house.

"I honestly don't know. I think you did what was best but if it hurts you that much..." Rebekah shrugged her shoulders.

"I just wished he'd get my point and stop sulking. I miss him... It hurts so much to be away from him..." Bella replied with tears that started to run down her cheeks.

Rebekah took her friend in her arms and silently wished Edward dead. While Bella cried in her arms, the blond vampire looked at the doorway, where Klaus was standing. She wasn't really surprised to see him near, Klaus always seemed to be around when Bella came over. She actually found it kind of cute to see her scarier big brother, the one with the worst reputation, the one supposed to be the worst evil walking the earth, caring for a young human girl. She knew that it was more than a crush and wondered what he would do to remedy the present situation.

Klaus was frowning, hating seeing Bella in this state and with a nod in his sister's direction, he left the house silently and quickly. Bella would never know that he had seen and heard everything. She'd never know that he even cared, all he wanted was for her to be happy again.

"Somehow I have a feeling that the situation will solve itself, one way or another." Rebekah told Bella softly.

"I hope you're right." Bella sniffed before they decided to go ad read outside to enjoy the last few days of warm and sun.

.

Klaus quickly arrived in front of the Cullen house and, resisting the urge to break the front door and behead Edward, he simply knocked. When Esmee opened the door, her usual welcoming smile plastered on her kind face, the feared hybrid politely asked to speak with Edward.

"What do you want?" Edward asked Klaus in a tone that was quite rude as he followed Klaus outside, a few feet away from the house.

"Do you enjoy playing with Bella like that? Are you so self absorbed that you can't see how miserable you're making her?" Klaus attacked.

"She's the one who told me to stay away." Edward replied harshly, on the defensive and obviously ready to jump on Klaus.

Klaus shook his head when he realized that the young Cold One was expecting for things to get to a fight and was ready for a hand to hand combat, not knowing that he'd lose quickly.

"She just wants you to understand that she's free to make her own decisions, that you have to respect her privacy. Is that so hard to understand? Nothing makes you superior to her. She's perfectly capable of making her own decisions. If you really loved her, you'd stop being this stubborn, accept that you need to let her breathe and to stop spying on her and you'll go apologize before she gives up on you. She's already been crying for over a week, isn't that enough for you? Who do you think you are and what do you think you deserve exactly?" Klaus yelled at the teenage cold one who didn't look like he understood or trusted Klaus.

"What are your motives in all this? Why would you help me?" He asked the blond Original, annoyed that he couldn't read his mind.

"My motives? I just want to see her happy. I'm tired of her crying every day and every night. It's bringing down everyone's mood." Klaus replied, trying to sound light.

"You love her. I know you do. I can see right through you." Edward snapped.

"Maybe. But I'm still here, telling you what you need to do in order to fix your relationship with her because I just want her to be happy, even if it has to be with a stupid and irresponsible Cold One with an over-sized ego." Klaus replied, an hostile look in his eyes.

"I don't believe you. You're planning something to win her over. You're going to make me look like a fool." Edward exclaimed.

"Sadly, you don't need my help to look like a fool, Edward. You have too choices now. Either you don't believe me and lose Bella forever, in which case I'd be more than happy to step in and win her over once she's done mourning your relationship, and trust me, I can win her over because I know her, better than you it seems. Or you can decide to trust me, listen to me and win her back, which will make her happy right now." Klaus exposed.

"Fine. What do you want me to do?" Edward asked him.

"You know, this hostile tone of yours and your behavior is what's going to make you lose Bella for good." Klaus warned him, a dangerous gleam in his eyes.

"My behavior? What's wrong with my behavior?" Edward snapped in a superior tone.

"You act like you're better than everyone else. Like the entire world is your inferior. Not only are you wrong in many ways but it's going to be your end, and I'm not only talking of the end of your relationship with Bella here. Keep acting this way and you'll end up pissing off someone stronger than you who'll end you for good." Klaus explained, trying his best to be patient, reminding himself that he was doing what was best for Bella.

"This is ridiculous..." Edward shook his head.

"The fact that you can read everyone's mind makes you too confident in yourself. You're not better than everyone else because of it. That's one of the things Bella is growing tired of." Klaus told the doubtful Cold One.

It took them several intense hours but Edward seemed to finally understand what Klaus was talking about and he decided to try and change the way he behaved with Bella. He called her and asked her out for the next day and Bella was only too happy to agree, not knowing that Klaus was the one to thank for Edward's sudden change in behavior.

.

The rest of the summer went pretty well. Edward and Bella were happy again and the Cold One seemed to respect her privacy. He appeared to be making efforts to respect her wishes and to treat her better but it still felt a bit off to Bella who decided to ignore it and give him the second chance he had asked for.

It was obvious to her that Edward was only pretending not to believe he was above everyone else and that he was also pretending to get along with Katherine and the Mickealson's but she figured that maybe one day he'd naturally stop pretending because his actions would be natural. After all, it was so great to spent time with Rebekah and her brothers, how could Edward stay impervious to that?

Of course, Edward never mentioned that Klaus had been the one to help him change and pretended that he had done it on his own, never mentioning anything and changing the subject whenever Bella tried to talk about it.

Rebekah didn't want Klaus' work to go un noticed by her friend, especially since she was openly rooting for Bella to break up with Edward and give Klaus a chance, so she ended up breaking the secret and telling Bella what her big brother had done to help her. Bella couldn't be more grateful to the hybrid Original.

"Edward really didn't tell you anything?" Rebekah asked Bella as they were at the Mall with Katherine, looking for an outfit to wear on the first day back to school.

"No, he said that he simply opened his eyes and realized what he needed to change. Whenever I tried to bring up the conversation to his changes, he has changed the subject and brought my attention to something else... I thought he was simply ashamed of his behavior and didn't want me to bring it up because it caused him pain to remember our time apart..." Bella replied, sounding disappointed.

"Well, if he's lying about this, what else is he lying about?" Katherine wondered, not hiding that she didn't like Edward much and would like much better to see Bella with the Original she had run from for so long.

"I know you don't like him Katherine but he's trying so hard..." Bella protested.

"Bella, if you really think he can be trusted, we won't bring it up again but try not to forget his lies and don't let him add them up. We just want you to be safe..." Rebekah explained.

"Don't let yourself disappear behind him again, that's all we ask." Katherine added and Bella nodded.

"Hey, at least we know that he's not following you this afternoon since he's with Jasper." Rebekah tried to joke to bring the mood up.

"Jasper is hoping they'll catch some big game this afternoon during their hunt up north." Katherine nodded.

"Speaking of big games, I'm hungry and I'm going to hunt for a cheeseburger in the food court." Bella smiled.

"Good idea, let's hunt cheeseburgers. They're wild, dangerous and need to be stopped." Rebekah joked, making the two other young women chuckle.

.

"So Rebekah, you're excited to start school tomorrow?" Bella asked her friend as they read books in the Original's back yard, enjoying the good weather once more.

"Very. I can't wait to go! It'll be the first time I actually have time to go to school and make friends." She replied, her excitement visible on her face.

"Well, I'm sure you'll love it. I just hope Mike Newton will decide he's in love with you now and that he'll forget a bit about me." Bella chuckled.

"I can always compel him away from you, don't worry." Rebekah assured her.

"So, where did Elijah go?" Bella asked Rebekah.

Indeed, less than an hour ago, Elijah had been siting with them and reading as well when he received a phone call that made him rush to his room to pack a bag. Then he went to see Klaus, they talked for a few minutes and Elijah left. Rebekah hadn't left her seat once but Bella knew very well that she could hear what had been said inside the house, maybe even on the phone.

"A vampire named Rose called him. She's located the doppelganger Klaus needs to break his curse. Elijah is going to check things out. If it's really her, Elijah will set things up over there and Klaus will join him in time for the full moon so he can finally break his curse."

"Isn't the next full moon on my birthday?" Bella asked, frowning.

"Yes... I know. He'll be sorry he missed it but he'll make it up to you, you know it." Rebekah reassured her friend who nodded before they went back to talking about school and classes.

Bella tried not to let show that Klaus' coming absence was going to make her sad, that she'd miss him. She had grown so used to having him around during the past few months that she just knew that she'd feel it the moment he left town. Even now, she was very aware of the fact that he was in his study and that he could see them from his open window.

Shaking her head, she tried to remember that she had given Edward a second chance and that she truly loved him still. He was her boyfriend and he was really trying to be better, to make her happier. She couldn't ignore that. No later than yesterday, he had taken her out on a picnic, with nothing fancy. He had kept things simple like she liked them and had even agreed to try kissing more.

The thought that Klaus would let her touch him in places that didn't have fingers crossed Bella's mind but she did her best to shake it out. Edward was doing his best and he couldn't help it if it wasn't easy for him to be with her. She had to give him time. Maybe one day Edward would let her touch his chest without him having a shirt on.

.

For the first day of school, Edward came to pick up Bella in his Volvo.

"I thought you wanted to drive yourself this morning, isn't that what you told Rebekah last night?" Her father asked her.

"I did... Maybe he simply forgot and jumped back to old habits... It would be rude to send him away now... I'll remind him that I want to drive myself from now on." Bella replied.

"You do that." Charlie frowned.

"He's trying dad." Bella protested.

"Maybe... I still like the idea of you with Klaus better though." He whispered so low that Bella barely heard him.

She hoped that Edward hadn't or it would once again start an argument.

"I'll pretend I didn't hear that. Have a nice and safe day dad. See you tonight." Bella replied.

"Remember I won't be home after work, I'm having dinner with Harry and Sue Clearwater." He reminded her.

"And I'm inviting Rebekah over so we'll both be fine." She smiled, grabbing her backpack and her jacket on her way out the door.

By the frown on Edward's face, she guessed that he had heard her father's whispered wish and that her father's thoughts weren't much better either. She decided to ignore all, she couldn't control her father's thoughts and bringing it up would only start another argument that would end by Edward being stubborn and treating her like a child, something she absolutely hated.

"I told you that I wanted to drive myself to school this year." Bella reminded him after the usual exchanges of 'Good morning'.

"Really? I completely forgot." Edward replied and Bella could see that he was lying.

Once again, she pretended she didn't notice and simply said:

"Well, try to remember for tomorrow. I don't like it when you ignore my wishes like that, you know it."

"I just forgot Bella, it's not that bad. I don't see what's so bad about being driven around in a nice, safe car." Edward replied.

"What's so bad about it is that it's taking away my free will." Bella told him, hoping he'd get it and wouldn't brush it off like he usually did before their almost break up of the summer.

"Fine, don't worry, I'll let you drive yourself tomorrow." Edward agreed, while rolling his eyes.

Bella wasn't stupid, she guessed that he would be driving behind her the entire time and she tried to convince herself that it was because he was worried about her safety and not because he didn't trust her driving skills or wanted to control her.

When Bella and Edward arrived in school, Rebekah was already there, waiting for her by her own car. The three of them entered the school together and Bella happily introduced her new friend to her old ones.

"Where's Alice? She didn't graduate last year, did she? I was sure she was in our year..." Jessica asked, noticing the Cullen's absence.

Being the official gossip queen of the high school, she didn't like not knowing what was going on around here and she needed the right information to spread as soon as the bell rang.

"Oh, she got accepted into a design school in Paris. She left right before the summer started. She's very happy there and loves it." Edward replied, lying easily and everyone believed the line that had been rehearsed during the entire summer to make it sound believable.

"Well, I'm not really surprised." Lauren replied in a frustrated huff before she left them to go to her locker, probably hoping it would be something more exciting like running away with someone else or something like that.

Later that day, when Bella got home after spending a couple of hours with Edward, she found Klaus and Kol watching a game on TV with her father. She greeted them and went in the kitchen to get started on dinner, trying to resist the urge to go sit with them and watch TV. She always hated sports and knew that her desire to sit with them had nothing to do with the program they were watching and everything to do with Klaus's majestic presence that she could never ignore.

"So, how was your first day back to school?" Klaus asked her from the doorway.

"It was okay... mainly because of Rebekah. High school drama is getting old but Rebekah makes it fun." Bella replied with a small blush on her cheeks.

"Well, a few more months of it and you'll be done with it." He replied.

"And I can't wait for that!" She exclaimed.

"Do you know what you'll do next year?" He asked her.

"Not yet, no... I don't know if I want to go to college right away but I don't think I have many options... I guess I'll see how it all plays out." She shrugged her shoulders before adding "What about you? Are you excited about finally being able to break your curse?"

"Of course. Hopefully this time nobody will try to stop it from happening." He smiled.

"Well, not only your brothers are on your side but Katherine will be right here with me. Who else is there that could try and stop you?" She asked.

"More people than you know, sadly. But you're right, this time my siblings are on my side and it will make all the difference." He nodded.

"Are you and your brother staying for dinner tonight?" She asked him.

"No, it's nice of you to offer but Rebekah is expecting us after the game. We want to try and have a few family dinner every week."

"Yes, I remember her telling me she hoped it would make you a real family and tame the beasts that you boys can become." Bella chuckled.

"Well, my little sister obviously hasn't seen herself during a family fight. She's the most vicious of us all." Klaus joked.

"You're just lucky she doesn't menstruate anymore." Bella laughed.

"Don't I know it." Klaus chuckled.

He stayed with her, talking about light subjects and laughing until his brother Kol came to tell him that the game had been over for half an hour already and that Rebekah had already called once to remind them that she was cooking and that she forbid them to be late.

.

Time before Bella's birthday flew by very quickly and uneventfully, except that Bella and Edward argued more often about several subjects. Sometimes, it looked like they were trying to find reasons to argue, without the benefits of making up after a fight since Edward still refused that Bella touched him anywhere that wasn't his hands and barely allowed pecks on her lips.

Klaus and his brothers had already left for Mystic Fall's when Bella woke up on her birthday but she knew that Rebekah and Katherine had stayed.

She was going to have a small party at her house. At first, Edward wanted her to come to his house and celebrate with his family but he didn't want Rebekah and Katherine there, saying that he wanted it to be just Bella and his family. Bella argued that she wanted all of her friends at her birthday party and put her foot down. It had started another argument but this time, Bella held on until she won.

Charlie agreed that she could have her party anyway so why would she have it in someone else's house, with people she wanted present not allowed inside?

"So, will the Wolves come?" Rebekah asked Bella as they baked some cookies for the party.

"Some of them, yes. So will Edward and his family, Katherine and Jasper..." Bella listed.

"Klaus almost delayed breaking his curse to attend your birthday party you know... I managed to convince him that it wasn't what you wanted." Rebekah smiled.

"Of course it's not. I'll miss having him around but I'm glad he can finally break it." She shook her head.

"So, I couldn't help but hear Jessica mentioning she saw you and Edward arguing earlier this afternoon... She said she didn't hear what it was about but she looked happy enough about it..." The Original sister mentioned, trying to get more details.

"Yes, it was the usual argument about becoming a vampire. He refuses to change me and claims that he'll still love me when I'm 95 and can barely walk on my own. He doesn't understand that I don't want this kind of life, that I want more." Bella shook her head.

"Maybe it's for the best that he doesn't change you... you're arguing a lot lately." Rebekah told her.

"You may be right... I'm just tired of arguing all the time and of having to justify everything I do that isn't in concordance with what he wants." Bella shook her head.

"Do you still love him?" Rebekah asked her.

"Good question..." Bella whispered, almost ashamed to admit it.

"Well, then maybe you should ask yourself if you don't love someone else?" Rebekah smiled, hoping her brother was going to be mentioned soon.

"With the way you're asking the question, I think you already know the answer." Bella smiled.

"I'm hoping..." Rebekah agreed.

"I just... I feel like I owe it to Edward to give him one more chance, that maybe he can still revive those feelings in me... I know he can but he needs to want to work for it." Bella told her friend.

"The big question is: does he want to change and try?"

"Exactly. Anyway, let's not talk about this again today. I'm turning 18 tonight and I want everyone to have fun, including me." Bella decided as she put a batch of cookies in the oven.

"You're right. I'll go and see if the cake I put in my oven at home is ready. It's been 35 minutes so it should be almost done. I'll be back with it." Rebekah declared before she rushed out the door in vampire speed.

* * *

**That's it for the second part. Only one left. Next one will start during the party.**

**Review?**

**Love,**

**Lorelei Candice Black**


	4. Chapter 4

**_Finding peace_**

**_Sequel_**

**_Part 3_**

* * *

Bella's party had gone well, exactly like she had hoped and now that almost everyone had left, she was left with Katherine and Rebekah to clean things up before their sleep over could start. She had fun, she laughed, she watched her friends flirt and have fun. For once in her life, she had been like every other 18 year old girl partying with her friends to celebrate her birthday.

"Bella, can we talk?" Edward asked her from the corner of the living room.

"Edward! I thought you had left with Emmett, Jasper and Rosalie! Weren't you supposed to go hunting with them? What's going on?" She asked him, still flushed from all the laughing she did at her party.

"Please come outside with me, I'd like to talk with you... privately. It's important. it can't wait." he insisted still very seriously and after a nod in her two friend's direction, Bella followed Edward outside.

Edward took her warm hand in his frozen one and guided her silently to the woods where he walked them for several minutes in silence. Bella guessed that he just wanted privacy, probably to tell her something very important so she didn't protest, already imagining a big romantic love declaration that would mark the start of Edward's real efforts to make her happy and work on their couple. She was sure that, finally, Edward would prove to everyone that she had been right to give him another chance.

"It's getting chilly... I should have grabbed my jacket." Bella commented.

She was dressed in only a knee length dress with small lace sleeves that barely covered her shoulders. It was very pretty and was perfect for the occasion, as long as she was inside. Now that she was in the woods, in the middle of the night with flip flops on her feet and a light summer dress, she was getting cold.

"You'll be fine, we won't be here long." Edward told her and his reply surprised her.

He was usually the one to scold her when she wasn't careful about taking care of herself and now he ignored this? For the first time since they left her father's house, Bella was getting worried about his intentions.

"Okay Edward, can we please stop walking? We're far enough, Rebekah and Katherine won't hear you, especially since the music was still playing when we left. I'm too cold to go any further. What's going on? You're starting to scare me!" Bella insisted.

"Fine. We can do this here." Edward nodded, sparring a look to take in his surrounding but Bella could feel that he was only doing it to give himself some composure, he didn't seem to truly care about where they were.

"Do what?" She asked him nervously, hoping that he wasn't going to grant her her wish for more intimacy in the middle of the woods when she was cold.

"My family and I are leaving tomorrow morning. We've been here too long already." Edward told her.

"What? Can't you finish off the year? What's a few more months?" She asked him, surprised and feeling like a bucket of ice cold water had been thrown on her.

She had definitely not been expecting this.

"No, we've waited much too long already..." Edward shook his head and Bella got angry.

"This is bullshit Edward! A few more months wouldn't change anything and you know it. Now, why don't you try being honest with me for once and tell me what this is really about?" She asked him.

"I want to break up with you Bella. You've changed too much since Katherine arrived in town and you refuse to see it. I can't handle it anymore." He shook his head in a resigned manner.

"I haven't changed Edward, this is who I've been all along. I was just keeping quiet even when I disagreed before because I was afraid of losing you. Katherine simply reminded me that who I am is an independent young woman who voiced her opinion and didn't let anyone walk on her feet." Bella replied in a very calm voice, trying not to get angry.

"Whatever you say. My family and I are leaving tomorrow, this won't change. I see now that we don't want the same thing out of life. The fact that you want to become a vampire... It's not natural and I can't be with someone like that." Edward shook his head.

"What's not natural is your constant denial of who you are and the great opportunity that it is. You want to be human so much but being human means getting hurt, risking death every second. You have no idea how lucky you are that you don't have to worry about your life with every step you take and every decision you make and don't even bring up the children issue because when there is a will, there is always a way. Adoption? It's not only for sterile people!" Bella snapped.

"You're entitled to your opinions Bella, even if you're wrong. I won't tell you where we're going, I don't want you to look for me." He told her, using a tone that angered her because it reminded her of the way you spoke to a young child who didn't understand things very well.

"Don't worry about it Edward, looking for you is far from being on my mind right now. And to think I was trying to give you another chance, to keep myself from breaking your heart... I was just stupid to think you even had a heart in the first place, maybe your is as frozen as the rest of you." Bella shook her head.

"What do you mean?" he asked her, surprised.

"It doesn't really matter now but I want to congratulate you."

"What for?" he asked her.

"Ruining my perfect day. I was happy, I had a great party, had fun with all of my friends... I was very happy... the happiest I had been in a very long time and you just ruined that. Did you really have to do this tonight? You couldn't do it yesterday or tomorrow? You had to do this on the night of my 18th birthday party? Did you really want to ruin things for me?" She asked him, shaking her head.

"I don't see why today is worst than any other day. It's a break up Bella." Edward shrugged his shoulders.

"Well, maybe you're right then, maybe you don't have a soul because anyone with just the smallest hint of humanity would have waited to do this at a moment that wasn't my birthday." Bella snapped.

"Now you're acting like a child Bella. It's just a birthday, don't be self centered." Edward shook his head.

"Self centered? Just a birthday? Maybe birthdays don't count to you anymore Edward, but to me, it's important. An 18th birthday is an important one, a pivotal moment in a life. Maybe your so called cursed life is so boring to you that birthdays don't mean anything and that passing time doesn't mean anything to you anymore but this one was important to me, I wanted it to be perfect, for once. I've never been self centered in my life and wanted a good 18th birthday party doesn't make me self centered Edward, it makes me human, something whose meaning you obviously don't understand which is very sad for someone who has lived as long as you have. But you know what? Fine! Think whatever you want. What's done is done anyway. Good luck with your so-called eternal life but if I can give you just a bit of advice, it's to either give up on pretending to be human or to work harder at it." Bella replied, her voice going from anger to calm in between sentences.

"Goodbye Bella." Edward nodded his head before he turned around and suddenly disappeared from her sight.

Bella blinked a couple of times in shock.

Edward had brought her in the woods, away from her house in the middle of the night without even the moon to give her light and had left her alone there. Now that she was alone, she was even colder and her hands weren't enough to warm herself up, no matter how fast she pushed them up and down her arms. Already she was shivering hard.

"Rebekah? Katherine?" Bella called out, hoping her friends would hear her and that the music wasn't too loud to cover her distant voice.

Even if they heard only a whisper of their names being called, they'd come to find her and she'd be safe and warm in no time.

Her father was at Billy's for the night so he wouldn't realize she was gone but how long would it take her friends before they got worried?

Bella knew that she should get moving but she had no idea of the direction she arrived from. It was all so dark... Was it left? Right? Behind her? One wrong step and she could go even further in the woods or even hurt herself.

Were there wild animals in Forks's woods besides the Wolves from Sam's pack? Would one of these animals try to eat her?

"Katherine? Rebekah?" Bella called out once more, cursing herself for refusing the cell phone her father offered to give her for her birthday.

She had called it "_unnecessary_". Oh, how she regretted it now...

For a moment, Bella wondered if Klaus had succeeded in breaking his curse, if everything would be fine with him. Shaking her head, she forced herself to focus. She needed to get help from someone, anyone, really, who could get her home, to warmth, quickly.

"Sam? Jacob? Paul? Is anyone out here tonight? Anyone? Please!" Bella called out, hoping that if her vampire friends couldn't hear her, maybe her super wolf ones would.

Bella was getting tired, probably because of the cold. Her feet were hurting and she didn't know if it was because of the cold or of something else.

"Please, anyone?" Bella called out, lower than before because she was too cold to yell.

She didn't even know that it was possible to get this cold this quickly. Too tired to stand any longer, Bella sat down, wrapping her arms around her torso and her knees up against her chest to try and keep as much heat as she could.

Bella didn't know how long she waited, but she had the time to sing "_Happy birthday to you Bella_" to herself over 20 times before she grew tired and closed her eyes, promising it would be for a few minutes only.

"Bella? Oh my god! Bella? What did he do? We thought he had taken you back to their house, I'm so sorry!" A worried said but Bella couldn't bring herself to recognize it fully, even if she knew that it was a familiar feminine voice that she trusted.

"Here, put my jacket on her until we get home." Another voice said.

Bella knew instinctively that it was Katherine and Rebekah. She felt herself be carried and put down on a warm and soft surface that smelled comfortingly like her father. Then there were blankets around her and soothing words in her ears.

"Bella, honey, you have to drink a bit of my blood, we don't want you to get sick." Bella recognized Katherine's voice and nodded.

She felt herself being lifted into a sitting position and opened her mouth, drinking the warm liquid, knowing it was for the best. After that, Rebekah brought her hot cocoa and Bella managed to open her eyes. The blood was working because she could already feel better.

"What's happened? You were gone so long... We thought he had taken you back to his house at first..." Rebekah said.

"How long was I gone?" Bella asked.

"About 3 hours. We had time to clean everything very thoroughly." Katherine smiled.

"If you thought he had taken me back to his place, how did you know to look for me? I tried calling out but I think I was too far..." Bella shook her head.

"We also had the music on... But one of Sam's younger wolf found you. He wasn't sure he'd be able to control the shift so he rushed back to Sam who called us." Rebekah explained.

"He didn't tell Charlie, did he?" Bella asked worriedly.

The last thing she wanted was her father worrying about her and getting overprotective.

"It's too late so no, he didn't. We told him we'd inform Charlie when we knew more. No need to have him worrying unnecessarily." Katherine shook her head.

"Good." Bella nodded.

"So, what happened?" Katherine asked.

Bella told them everything, not hiding anything. Of course her two vampires friends were very angry and Katherine called Jasper who didn't even know the Cullen's were living. Rebekah only muttered that Klaus wouldn't let them get off this easily, especially Edward who had put her at risk by living her alone in the woods in the middle of the night, wearing only a little dress and barely no shoes.

"Right now I just want to get some sleep and try to forget about the fact that I thought I'd die in those woods on my 18th birthday. Did Klaus's ritual work, by the way?" Bella asked.

"Yes, it did. Elijah sent me a message right before we went to look for you. They'll be home the day after tomorrow." Rebekah nodded.

"Good. Now come on, let's go get some sleep." Bella decided.

She wanted to try and forget about the entire thing, mainly because she thought it was her fault for giving Edward a second in the first place when she was starting to have feeling for Klaus. Maybe she had deserved what happened, to be left alone in the cold and in the woods, not knowing if anyone would find her or if she'd end up being food for wild animals.

Shaking her head, Bella's last thought before sleep claimed her was that the blame ought to be placed on Edward. He was the one who was supposed to be older, more responsible. He was the one who asked her to follow him in the woods on the night of her 18th birthday. He could have acted differently, he had a choice, but he didn't and she refused to take the blame for this.

.

Bella convinced her friends not to mention the _night in the woods_ incident to her father and to simply tell him that Edward had broken up with her on her birthday. When she got back to school two days later, everyone knew that the Cullen family had left town and they believed they had moved to LA where Carlisle had gotten a job offer he simply couldn't refuse.

"So, I heard that Edward wasn't very gentlemanly when he broke up with you. Your father only got the short version of it all, didn't he?" Klaus asked her, surprising Bella with his presence in the living room of his house where she was waiting for Rebekah to get 'something important' from Elijah's personal library.

"Klaus! I didn't know you were back already!" She exclaimed, rushing to hug him, unable to control herself.

Of course Klaus hugged her back, longer than he usually did and whispered his 'happy birthday' wish in her ear, sending chills all over her body.

"Do you want me to hunt him down and make him pay, love?" He asked her and she knew who and what he was talking about.

"No, forget it. I decided to let it go. Be the better person. Thinking any more about it won't help anything." She shook her head.

Bella was almost certain that Rebekah wasn't getting anything from her brother's personal library and that she was simply giving Klaus and her some privacy.

"You don't seem too sad about it." Klaus realized.

"I'm not. I was thinking of breaking up too... I was just waiting to give him a chance to win me back... Now I know that it just wasn't meant to be." She smiled and tried to hide her blush.

"Your growing blush is telling me that it's not everything..." Klaus guessed.

"Maybe I was falling for someone else." Bella knew that as she spoke, her blush was still deepening and that her heart was beating faster.

Klaus took a step closer to her.

"Maybe? Was?" He asked her with a hopeful smile.

"Okay... I AM, for sure, falling for someone else." She smiled, knowing he was getting it and obviously not pushing her away o running in the opposite direction.

"Anyone I know?" he asked her again.

"I'd hope so. I think you're the one who knows him best." She smiled, noticing that he was now right in front of her.

"And if he was to ask you out this Friday, what would you say to him?" Klaus asked, replacing a loose strand of her hair behind her left hear.

"I guess to know you'll just have to ask me." She smirked, making him chuckle.

"What would your father think?" he wondered.

"Probably something along the lines of 'Finally!'. He's been rooting for you for a while." Bella chuckled.

"Then Bella, would you like to go out on a date with me this Friday night? Allow me to celebrate your birthday with you?" Klaus asked her, suddenly very serious, yet a teasing charm was still present on his face.

"Would this be a date or a birthday celebration?" She asked him.

"A bit of both, but more of a date really." he smiled.

"It would be my pleasure then, Klaus." She nodded.

"Good. You won't regret it Bella. I promise you, I'll make you happy." He assured her as he kissed her hand in a very old fashioned way that still sent butterflies in her stomach.

"I know you will." Bella nodded before Rebekah finally came back in the room, without the book she was supposed to be getting, and hugged Bella, telling her how excited she was that they were going to be sisters and ignoring Bella telling her that she was getting a bit ahead of herself and that being best friends was the same as being sisters anyway.

.

By the time Friday arrived, everyone in Bella's life seemed aware of her plans for the evening and they all wanted details.

"Is there even one person who's sad that I'm now broken up with Edward?" Bella wondered as Katherine helped her get ready.

"I doubt it honey." Katherine smiled.

"How about you and Jasper, how are the two of you doing?" Bella asked her.

"Very well. It's like we were never parted at all. I'm very happy with this new life I'm getting." Katherine smiled.

"You don't even miss the Salvatore brothers? Rebekah told me that Elijah crossed them in Mystic Fall's... They're dating your doppelganger so that means they didn't forget you..." Bella wondered.

"Well, I'm hard to forget Bella, I'm too awesome!" the vampire joked before she added "They never meant anything to me anyway. They were just something to occupy my time, to keep me busy and help me mourn for the Love I had lost..."

"Good, I'm very happy for you and Jasper." Bella smiled.

"Thanks, now it's time for you to be happy as well!" Katherine replied before she started working on Bella's hair.

When 7 arrived, Bella was ready and strangely enough, she wasn't in the least bit stressed or nervous. She figured that she wasn't nervous because she knew that it would all work out in the end, that she'd be not only safe but also happy with Klaus.

"You're okay Bella? You looked lost in thoughts there..." Her father said.

"I'm fine dad. I know that everything will be perfect." She nodded her head confidently.

"You know that you don't have to do this, right? If you feel like you're not ready to date him, you can always cancel." He reminded her.

"I thought you liked the idea of Klaus and I together?" Bella asked, turning to face him.

"I do! I just want you to be sure too." He added.

"I am, don't worry." She smiled.

"Good." He nodded.

Bella didn't have to wait for long before Klaus parked his car in their driveway and rang their doorbell. Feeling her heart jump in her chest, Bella opened the door, smiling brightly at the tall, strong and very handsome man standing in front of her.

Was it possible that breaking his curse had made him hotter than before? She didn't know why but her heart screamed yes to answer that question.

"Good evening Bella. Are you ready to go?" He asked her, handing her a small bouquet of very pretty wild flowers.

"I am. I'll just... Put the flowers in some water. I'll be right back." She blushed while her father greeted Klaus and confirmed that Bella didn't have a curfew but that she needed to come home at some point.

When Bella came back, Klaus offered her his arm and opened her door for her before he sat by her side and started the car.

"You're very pretty tonight Bella." Klaus complimented her before he started the car.

"Thanks... I hope it's appropriate for whatever you've got planned." She replied with a soft blush on her cheeks under his compliments.

"Don't worry, you'll be perfect, Love." He reassured her.

"And where are we going?" She asked him.

"It's a surprise. Do you trust me?"

"Of course I do." She nodded.

"Then trust me on this, you'll love it." he replied and she nodded.

Klaus drove in a comfortable silence for about 30 minutes and finally parked in front of an isolated restaurant that Bella had never seen before. Klaus was a gentleman the entire time, opening doors for her and kept an arm around her waist when they walked. The conversation was easy between them and Klaus knew how to make Bella laugh. She particularly enjoyed that he'd use any excuse to touch her, even if it was just the hand when they were sitting at the table.

"How did you find this restaurant?" Bella asked Klaus when the waitress left after giving them their drinks and taking their order.

"Elijah heard about it from a witch contact of his that doesn't live too far from here. Billy Black knew about it as well and confirmed that it was a nice place to go to... So I tested it with my family and decided that it was worthy of our first date." Klaus explained.

"Well, I really like it." She nodded.

"Good."

"So, you didn't have any problems breaking your curse?" She asked him.

"No, everything went well. Elijah had planned things perfectly, as always but let's not talk about this yet. I'd rather talk to you about lighter subjects tonight." He smiled.

"Were you always so talented... with your paintings I mean... or did you have to learn it?" Bella asked him as the waitress brought them their orders.

"Well, growing up I never really had the opportunity to try it. It's only later, once we reached the old world, that I managed to have time on my hands to try my hand at drawing... It caught my interest and I took some lessons with renown masters to perfect my tactics." He explained.

"I'm sure that being able to compel them to take you as a student helped as well." She smiled.

"True, but for the record, I didn't need to compel them all. I happen to be very charming when I want to be." He protested lightly.

"Oh, I know." She nodded, a smile never leaving her face.

They talked about lots of things during their dinner, from their interests to what they wanted out of life. They did their best to ignore the _Edward_ subject and everything went very well between them.

When they were done eating their deserts, which they shared in a very intimate way that had Bella blushing but made them both happy, Klaus drove them back to his place where they had the movie room for themselves.

"Where is everyone else?" Bella wondered when she saw that the room had candles light everywhere and snacks already prepared in front of the couch.

"Rebekah is spending the night at Angela's place to help her with her history problems. Elijah and Kol left for Port Angeles right before we came back, to have some fun in a bar." Klaus replied while he took out a selection of movies for her to choose from.

"They set all of this up for us then?" She asked him.

"Well, I did asked them to do it, but yes. Do you mind? I can take it all out if you'd prefer another ambiance..." He explained.

"Oh no, I really like it! Don't change anything. Any of these movies is fine by me." She replied.

"Very well then... Let's try this one." Klaus put the DVD in the player and went to sit by Bella's side on the small and very comfortable couch.

As the movie started, Bella moved closer to Klaus and he wrapped his arm around her shoulders, bringing her even closer to him.

"I know that I shouldn't feel like this yet... That I should take some time before wanting to be serious about us but... This feels right..." Bella told him softly while the movie started.

"I feel the same way Bella... I've never felt anything so deep for anyone before you and I can guarantee you that I'll do my best to make you happy. We'll take things at the speed you decide." He assured her.

"Not too slow... But not too fast either." She smiled.

"As you wish, Love." he smiled and kissed her on top of her head very tenderly.

"This means we're together right?" She asked in a whisper, afraid to have misunderstood everything.

"Of course it does. It also means that if this Mike Newton doesn't back off soon, I'll handle it myself." He warned her.

"I don't understand how he can still be after me when Rebekah compelled him to forget he ever had feelings or any sort of attraction for me..." She shook her head.

"Some people have a natural resistance to compulsion. It's rare, but it happens. I usually resolve these problems with a murder." He explained.

"Let's watch the movie before you start plotting the murder of one of my classmates." She chuckled.

At some point during the movie, they shifted position so that Bella's head lay on Klaus's knees and so that he had one hand over her stomach, drawing small circles on the skin under her shirt and the other one stroking her hair tenderly.

When the movie ended, Bella really didn't want the night to end yet and after Klaus turned the movie off, offering to drive her back home, she motioned for him to sit back next to her and once he did, she initiated their first kiss, knowing that he wouldn't do it and would wait for her to be ready. Their kiss started out small and tender but quickly grew much more passionate.

When Elijah and Kol came back home, around 2 in the morning, Klaus and Bella were still making out on the couch. Klaus was laying on top of Bella who had her hands firmly wrapped around his shoulder, keeping him as close to her as possible while his own hands visited the skin under her shirt. If Elijah wanted them to go in their room silently so that they didn't disturb the newly formed couple, Kol ignored him and noisily barged in the room, turning the lights on and commenting on their position and on Bella's blush.

"I... What time is it?" Bella asked, trying to hide her face in Klaus's chest as they both sat up.

"A little after 2 am." Elijah replied apologetically, not hiding his own smirk.

"So, did you two have a good time then?" Kol asked teasingly.

"Yes." Bella nodded, her face still hidden in Klaus' chest while his arms were wrapped tightly around her, holding her to him.

"Maybe I should drive you back home Bella." Klaus suggested and she nodded.

"It's not that far, maybe we should just walk over there." She suggested and with a smile, he guided her to the door, ignoring Kol's teasing.

Klaus walked Bella back to her father's house, where they kissed for a few more minutes before she finally walked inside with a very large smile on her flushed face and the promise that they would have lunch together the next day.

Later, after Bella's graduation, they would talk more seriously about their future but right now, they would simply enjoy being together.

Klaus and his family would make sure that Bella stayed safe and that she enjoyed her last months as a teenager in high school. They were in no rush because they had forever in front of them and they both knew in their heart that they were made to last forever, or at least a very, very, very long time.

Bella knew that unlike Edward, Klaus wouldn't be afraid to change her into a vampire when she decided to join him and that he wouldn't push her away when she was finally ready to have sex with him.

That night, before she fell asleep, Bella was thankful for the way her life turned out since she came to live with her father. She had gained and lost a first love, learned who she was inside, made real friends, reunited her old friend Katherine with her long lost Love, found a family in the Mickealson's and found who she felt was the big love of her life.

As for Klaus, he finally felt at peace with his life. He had his family, a girlfriend who loved him for who he was and he had broken his curse.

"So brother, how does it feel to be in Love and have it returned by the lady who has won your heart over?" Elijah asked him as soon as Klaus came back home.

"Great. You should try it." Klaus smiled.

"She's changed you, you know... Ever since you met her... It's like... You found your inner peace..." Elijah commented.

"That's the way it feels brother. It feels like when I found Bella, I didn't only found a mate but I also found Peace. Peace for my mind, peace for... everything." Klaus replied before he started painting Bella.

Later, he'd call that particular painting "Finding Peace" before hanging it in the family living room so that everyone who entered their home would be able to see it.

* * *

**And this is the end people, I sure hope you enjoyed it. Who knows, maybe I'll add more to it later but this is all I had planed.**

**Reviews please?**

**Lorelei Candice Black**


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